I Will Wait For You
by As-Long-As-I'm-Around
Summary: Of all the promises Dustfinger said he'd keep, Meggie was glad this was the one he chose to see through. Meggie and Dustfinger. Finally completed, so please read and review!
1. I'll Wait

**Hey everyone! This is my first attempt at an Inkheart story. . . Yes it is a Meggie/Dustfinger. . . but not full on because she's too young at the moment. I used to be very against this couple. . . hahaha. Funny, I know. But they just grew on me. I don't know if I'd like them together in the actual book or movie but I just like how protective he is of her. It's cute. Please review and tell me what you think!!!**

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Meggie sat beside Farid, her arms crossed over her chest as she hugged herself for warmth. She could tell Farid was wondering why she wouldn't let him put his arm around her, bringing her close to his warm body. It sounded picture perfect to her, but she was not in the mood. Her eyes swam across to Mo and Resa, who were smiling at each other, and Mo barked out a laugh, while Resa's smile grew. Dustfinger was playing with the fire, entertaining the whole campsite. The fire licked hungrily at the logs, dancing with the leaves. Meggie hardened her glare when she felt amazement spread through her. She focused on Dustfinger, letting the bitter feelings take over her, squeezing her heart tightly. How could they just sit here like he had done nothing wrong? When he had betrayed them, when he had left her in the prison? When he had selfishly run off, only thinking of himself? What about how he had known about her mother, and he hadn't told them because of his obsessive want for the book? She could understand why he craved it so much-he wanted to see his wife. But to not tell her or Mo? It was cruel. If she had been in his position she would have helped him get his wife and then get the book. Dustfinger turned to look at her, and the smirk on his face fell off, his deep blue eyes softening into pain.

"Meggie," he said hoarsely. It suddenly grew quiet-the fire was gone, and everyone's eyes were on her and Dustfinger as he approached her. Farid looked down at her in surprise-he had not known anything was wrong. Mo looked at his daughter, and understanding flashed across his face. Resa looked between the two, feeling a pang that she did not know her only daughter well, and that Mo and Meggie had a bond so powerful and strong.

Meggie brought her eyes up to Dustfinger's face as he knelt down beside her.

"Princess, why do you look at me with such disdain?" he asked her in his soft, yet rough voice. She looked down, trying to stop the tears from filling her eyes. Dustfinger reached out, and lifted her chin with his finger. His eyes swam from side to side as he tried to read her, and even though Meggie tried to conceal how she felt towards him, he could see. Dustfinger always knew. It irked her.

"I think we should go for a walk." He said quietly.

"No!" Meggie protested, jumping up. Dustfinger didn't move, staring at her.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you! You might betray me once again!" She snapped. Dustfinger winced, his eyes filled with agony.

"Meggie…" Mo whispered, shaking his head.

"Meggie, please." Dustfinger reached out for her, but she moved back.

"Don't come after me." She warned before turning and running, letting the darkness engulf her. Dustfinger stood rooted to the spot, surprised at how she had just made him feel. Mo stood up and walked over to him.

"Go after her, Dustfinger. Explain to her what we understand." Dustfinger snapped his fingers.

"I would anyway. I wouldn't let her go into the forest alone." He said gruffly.

"I want to come." Farid said, standing up. Dustfinger looked at him.

"No. I need to go alone." And with that he strode off, determined to talk to Meggie. He didn't want to see the fear, the bitterness in her beautiful eyes. He wanted to see the amazement and love she held for him shine through, like she used to. He strode into the forest, fearful for Meggie. He didn't want to let a single thing touch her or harm her in anyway. If any strangers tried to touch her, he would cut whatever they touched her with off, and depending on the extent of which they did-he would kill them.

"Meggie?" He called out, snapping his fingers, letting the fire lead him along. Fire could play many parts-but right now it played the part of a guardian.

He heard nothing.

His heart started to pound against his chest, and he swallowed.

"Meggie?" He yelled desperately, making his way through trees. He could hear light running, and relief let him go. He followed the sound, desperate to talk to her. She needed to see. He needed her to see.

He needed her not to hate him.

"Meggie you might as well stop!" he called out, the fire guiding him to her. He could hear her small breaths as she picked up her pace. She didn't reply to him. Not even a nasty comment. He wasn't sure what he preferred-a nasty comment or silence?

"Meggie." He could see the outline of her. He whispered to the fire, and it grew stronger. He could see her perfectly. He raced to her, and she looked back. He hated the way she was looking at him-her eyes full of terror. Such one as Meggie should not have to feel like that. Ever. He let the fire go out, just as he was about to grab on her arm. She startled them both by tripping over, falling onto the ground, and she let out a little,

"Ow."

Dustfinger knelt down.

"Are you alright?" Though he couldn't see it, he knew she'd be glaring at him.

"Fine!" She stood up and went to run, but he grabbed her arm, standing up.

"I told you not to follow me!"

I'll always follow you, the words were on the tip of his tongue but instead he said,

"Will you run?"

"No." He slowly let go, and then she took off once again. Cursing himself in his head for his stupidity, he chased after her. Meggie veered off to the left suddenly, and then once again she tripped. Dustfinger took her gently by the arms, not letting go of her.

"Let go!"

"No. Not this time. We are going to talk Meggie." He then cast a fire beside them, and moved her over so she would not be in danger of getting burnt. He looked over to her, his hand still encircled on her arm, keeping her in place. He sighed.

"Meggie I'm sorry I betrayed you. So very sorry. I was a fool, I was selfish-my heart craved to see Roxanne…I was only thinking about the sweetness of seeing her again. I never meant to put you or your family in danger. I realize my actions could have led to your mother's death, and I've never felt so ashamed of myself as I do now." Dustfinger's eyes pierced into Meggie's, and she felt she had to look away-they were so intense.

"But now I don't mind anymore. I have a family here." Dustfinger's words surprised her. She looked up at him in amazement.

"What about your love for Roxanne?" He smiled.

"There will always be a place in my heart for Roxanne, as will there be hope to seeing her again. But nine years is a long time-she has probably remarried…there might be nothing for me to go home to. But here I have Farid, I have Mo and Resa, and I have you." He reached out and cupped her cheek, his fingers grazing it. She sunk into his hold, relishing in his warmth.

"Dustfinger, I…I…"

"I know." He said gently. She looked up at him, to see him smirking down at her.

"You are too young. But I will wait for you, if that's what you wish."

A smile lightened her face, and she nodded.

"Yes. I would." He kissed her forehead, her nose, before hesitating. Meggie held onto his cheek and brushed her lips softly across his own. He pulled away, looking down at her.

"Come on Meggie. We must go back." Reluctantly, she stood up.

"Oh. You're forgiven by the way."

He just laughed.


	2. Words Are Friends, Not Enemies

Meggie fell asleep with her lips stretched out into a smile. She felt warm, but it wasn't from her father's heat, nor her mother's, who were both beside her. This was the warmth that could only be felt when you were in love, or when the right words had finally been said, relieving your heart in its tension and pain. She rolled over onto her side, curling her hands under her head for support. But then, a worrying thought hit her.

Farid. Sweet, loving, Farid.

What was she to do with him? Was she meant to stay with him, until Dustfinger came to fulfill his promise to her? Wouldn't that be just cruel? Was she meant to spilt up with Farid now, and just wait, while Dustfinger was still with Roxanne? Was he going to split up with Roxanne? Meggie sat up, a frown now toying with her eyes and lips.

They hadn't discussed this. And it was something that needed to be discussed. Meggie looked at her both sleeping parents, a look of loving settling across her features. She then crawled over to the tent, and pushed it open.

Air, icy cold air hit her, and she immediately wanted to just crawl back into the bedding, nice and warm beside her parents.

But her heart panged against her chest, and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until she found out the answers. She pulled her long jacket closer around her small frame, but it barely did anything. With each step she shivered violently, and the wind tossed her hair carelessly into her eyes. Tears sprang to them from the sting, but she ignored it, looking around. She knew Dustfinger sometimes stayed up, lost in his thoughts as he played with the fire. She heard whispers, and saw the orange outline of the fire. Running to a tree, she gripped it, peering out behind as she watched him.

"What were you thinking Dustfinger? Can you even keep a promise like that?" Meggie's heart pounded violently against her chest, and she clenched her fists. He couldn't take it back, he just, couldn't!

But once again, words proved to be a friend, not an enemy.

"Well, yes, I can. Because the heart is a fragile, little thing." He tossed the fire high into the air, playing with it.

Meggie smiled. He was having the same dilemma as she was. It soothed her, and she stepped out from behind the trees.

"It can be. But, you do have a say. It is your heart, after all." Meggie spoke boldly, startling Dustfinger. The fire rocketed out of his hands, and into flames near Meggie. She jumped back, and Dustfinger cursed before whispering. The flames immediately disappeared.

Meggie looked at him, before she started to laugh.

"That's _not_ funny, Meggie. Don't do that." She wasn't intimidated, like she once would have been.

Instead, she shrugged.

"Alright."

A silence fell over them. They'd had much to say before, but now, nothing? Meggie started to play with her hands, looking sharply up when Dustfinger spoke.

"How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough to hear what I needed to." She answered. Dustfinger cocked an eyebrow.

"You see, you sound too much like me. I don't fully answer people, I give them just a taste of it."

"Yes, well, how does it feel?" she asked.

He smiled sheepishly.

"Annoying," he admitted.

Meggie just nodded, still looking at him. Dustfinger just looked back.

"So..." she said nervously, shuffling her feet.

"_So_," Dustfinger copied.

"What happens now?" she wondered, looking up at him with big eyes.

How he loved her baby blues, he could stare into them all day and never get bored. She wasn't as easy to read as her father, and her eyes usually decieved her, contradicting her, because at times what she said, wasn't what she meant, and her eyes gave that away.

"Well, I don't know. That was also what I was thinking about."

"Because you're with Roxanne, and I'm with Farid."

"Whom I consider a son," Dustfinger whispered, and Meggie heard the guilt.

"Don't do that." She said angrily. Dustfinger looked at her.

"What?"

"Don't...just _don't _feel guilty." Dustfinger looked incredulous.

"How can I not?"

"Because I'm trying not to, and it certainly doesn't help when you're speaking about it!" She snapped. Dustfinger smirked and leant close, dropping his hands onto her shoulders.

"Well, _darling_, sorry to tell you. But, you're going to have to feel it, and you cannot block it out." Meggie shivered, but not because of what he had said. Because of the feel of his hands on her.

"Meggie, you're only what, almost thirteen?"

"And I'm thirty two. Twenty years older. " Meggie looked away. Well, yes, he had a point.

"I don't care about age, and nor should you. Love doesn't...do you love me, Dustfinger?" He turned from her, hiding emotions. Meggie took his arm, pulling him back.

"Do you? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" She was desperate now.

"Of course, but I don't think this was fate's intention. And who am I to mess with fate?" he murmured.

"No. Fate was already screwed up. Now it's in our hands."

Dustfinger looked at her, seeing the glint in her eye. He straightened up.

"Meggie." He said suddenly. She just looked at him.

"What are you thinking in that troublesome brain of yours?"

She smiled.

"I have an idea. Maybe I won't have to wait that long..."

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**A/N: I decided to try to make it into a story. I don't know how it will turn out. Give me reviews and tell me what you think. Please. **

**Dustfinger: (sitting there, open mouthed, before turning to me) I don't even know what to say.**

**Me: Well, you've never been good with words, have you? **

**Meggie: That's not necessarily true. When he does speak, his words mean more than most. **

**Me: Aw, look at the little girl sticking up for her crush. (Pats Meggie's hair as if she were younger than twelve) **

**Dustfinger: Cut that out, she doesn't like it. **

**Me: Aw, look at the much older MAN sticking up for his crush (pats Dustfinger's hair.) **

**Dustfinger and Meggie (looking at me as if they'd quite like to hurt me)**

**Me: Hey, don't look at me like that. I control you...uh, in this story, at least. **

**Dustfinger: That's exactly right. Meggie don't look so scared. She doesn't even own us. **

**Meggie: But in this story, she does! (Gives me a look) **

**Dustfinger: (sighing) I'll look after you.**

**Me: Because you love her, right?**

**Dustfinger: No, I'm with Roxanne.**

**Meggie looks down at her hands, and Dustfinger just looks at her. **

**Me: (laughing evilly) For now. **


	3. As The Dust Settles

Maybe to everyone else it was stupid. But sometimes that's just how it is. When you're not involved and can only see the outside, and not what's already been imprinted on the heart like a tattoo, you don't understand.

Meggie wrote, and poured her heart out. She almost expected it to be there on the page, with a trail of blood leaking from it.

She gave it to Dustfinger and he skimmed over the words, smiled, and then wrapped an arm around her and planted a kiss on her head. Meggie than searched for her dad.

"Dad." Mo looked up from his work, a funny look on his face as he stared at his daughter.

"You don't call me dad unless there's something wrong. What's up, darling?" Mo patted the spot beside him, and like she always did she took her place next to him.

She played with the love story in her hands before meeting her father's concerned gaze straight on.

"You know with love, no one else gets it but the two of you?"

Mo smiled.

"Yes. Love is like that. It's also indescribable and cannot be summed up with words, not even our ones."

"What if the seed has been planted and you just want it to grow, but it won't grow in rain?" The words tumbled out of her mouth almost childishly. Mo looked at her, feeling proud of her.

"Have I told you I love you, my beautiful daughter?" Meggie blushed in pleasure, but then shook her head, not to be distracted.

"Mo, I'm in love."

"Farid is a lucky man." Her dad mused. She coughed, the paper beginning to feel damp in her hands.

"It's not Farid."

Mo straightened. This shocked him.

"Meggie?" he waited both patiently and impatiently. Something he had mastered from being a father.

"It's Dustfinger. We do not choose love but love chooses us. I wish to love another but my heart is entwined with his, in a bond." Meggie held her breath while her father looked at her blankly.

She had always been able to read his expressions but this time she couldn't, whether it was from fear or not breathing, she didn't know. When she thought she may pass out her father's blank look changed to alarm.

"Sweet child, breathe!" Meggie did, gasping as she gulped in air greedily.

Mo took a deep breath. He may be good with words but would he be able to use them right for his daughter?

"I am your father and it's my job to protect you from a broken heart. I may think this could be a bad idea, and it could give you a broken heart, but not as bad as the one you would get if I banned you from him. I love you, and I'll always be here for you. You can't choose who you love, so if you want my blessings than yes, but something I will not approve of is sex." Meggie, who had been smiling through unshed tears at the growth of his speech now suddenly gasped in horror at him.

"Dad!" she hissed.

"It's true Meggie. I will ban you if I find out-"

"Don't worry! There will be none of that until I'm way older. I just...can you please read this?" Meggie handed it over timidly, and her father skimmed the words before raising one eyebrow. But he too liked the idea.

"Dustfinger you can come in now." Her father said casually, and Meggie's eyes widened as Dustfinger came slinking in.

"I can assure you Mo, nothing of the sort until she is much, much, much older. I promise." Dustfinger said sincerely, and Mo nodded. Meggie however put her face into her palm.

"How did you even know?" she groaned.

"A father always knows." Mo said, grinning.

"And he saw me from a reflection." Dustfinger supplied.

Meggie looked back up with a grin at Mo's scowling face.

"Let' s just read this shall I?"

_Love is a powerful thing. Once it touches someone it cannot be removed. But there is a soul mate for everyone, and if you think your own is gone then obviously you haven't met yours yet. Love, any love does not and will not hold grudges. Love forgives all. And the love between Meggie and Dustfinger will not be trampled on, or spat on for the differences, because opposite attract. It will be accepted and welcomed, and Dustfinger's wife will find another handsome man who isn't broken, who can take care of her. Brianna will love Dustfinger still, but live with her mum and new step father, which Dustfinger will accept. Farid would find another girl who would love and cherish him as he deserves. And as we celebrate this new found love, everything is at peace. _

Sometimes words cannot heal all pain. Roxanne left immediately with Brianna, who forgave her dad and told him she loved him, and would see him soon. Roxanne would meet Bill in a couple of days, and know a happiness she never knew existed.

Resa was shocked at this new and young love between her daughter and old friend. She was a little bit jealous, until Mo would wrap his arm around her, and his warmth would chase away the coldness jealously left.

Farid was hurt, but with Dustfinger's fatherly love, it chased away the cruelness of that pain. Farid and Meggie agreed to stay friends, but for now he would leave, and on this leave he would walk a new journey with a new girl.

In bringing this new love, after the dust of pain and hurt settled, it would bring even clearer and more beautiful sights.

"I have good ideas, don't I?" Meggie asked, turning away from the stars to look into Dustfinger's blue eyes, that twinkled even more brightly than the sun.

"Do you know," Dustfinger traced her lips, and Meggie smiled.

"You have a smile like exploding stars?"

She blushed, and he touched her red cheeks.

"And you're blush is like a sunset. You truly are beautiful, Meggie Folchart."

She smiled up at him, and he smiled back at her.

"You have ocean eyes, which is ironic because you like fire."

"A lot of things in worlds are ironic." Dustfinger agreed.

"Do you believe in fate Dustfinger?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Bad things happen for a reason. We don't feel pain for nothing. Like when you entered my world and my mum disappeared into yours. We wouldn't have met."

"That's a good way to look at it. But let's not dwell on the past."

"And only on the future." Meggie held up her glass, and he clinked hers.

"Cheers."

They returned to the campsite later, and Dustfinger gave Meggie back to her waiting parents.

"Say goodnight." They smiled and gave them their privacy, looking at each other as they remembered the start of their love.

"Remember Meggie, I love you." Dustfinger whispered.

"Let my love fly to your heart so you know how much." She whispered back.

He leaned closer to her face, then dodged her expecting lips to whisper in her ear.

"I will wait for you."

And she smiled, and he was blinded.


End file.
